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Recent history shows Marlins certainly still in it

Recent history shows Marlins certainly still in it

MIAMI -- All big league clubs can thank the 2007 Rockies and the 2011 Cardinals for offering hope that may not actually be there.

Marlins president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest referred to it as the "Rockie-Cardinal Effect."

Those two squads overcame seemingly long odds to not only win the National League Wild Card, but eventually advance to the World Series.

The Marlins certainly have an uphill climb to get into contention, but the organization is staying the course, seeing if the team can make up ground in a hurry.

"Teams have so much invested, and they want to have their fanbase to have hope," Beinfest said. "Sure enough, the Cardinals were [8 1/2] games out of the Wild Card last year, and they win it all.

"The Rockies thing is well documented."

After losing, 5-1, to the Nationals on Friday night, the Marlins fell to seven off the Wild Card pace.

But in 2011, the Cardinals were 8 1/2 games back in the Wild Card chase on Sept. 1.

Of course, St. Louis went on to win it all.

The 2007 Rockies were behind by 6 1/2 games on Sept. 1. They had a string of winning 21 of 22 in September, and made it to the World Series, where they were swept by the Red Sox.

With the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline approaching, the Marlins appear to be willing to let the season play out.

"It seems to be a trend in the game: Forget about the second Wild Card, that teams are hanging in there a little longer, and waiting for their teams to get hot," Beinfest said. "Unless they really have conviction that, 'Hey, it's not our year, we need to move some pieces.'"

The Marlins feel they have the talent to contend. It's just a matter of doing it.

"We'd like to think that we have the pieces here, although it hasn't happened so far," Beinfest said. "We have a bunch of guys who are well below their career averages. Which you can say, 'OK, there is plenty of room for improvement.' But every day we keep waiting for that to happen."